Carrie Schmidt's Reviews > A Cowgirl on His Doorstep

A Cowgirl on His Doorstep is all kinds of fun, y’all! I love Anna J. Stewart’s writing style and her always-on-point talent with dialogue and characters, and this one may just be my favorite example to date. I could particularly hear Shane’s voice in my head (swoon!) and adored the banter and conversations between him and Iris, as well as with the kids and his dad Butch. Basically I just had a big ol’ smile on my face from the first page to the last and definitely plan to keep a copy on my shelves so I can re-read it when I need a pick-me-up.

Like her other 4 sisters, Iris Blackwell is estranged from her mother, Flora. And, honestly, if I had a mother like Flora I’d probably want as much distance between us as possible too! Stewart does a great job of depicting Flora as a character who drives you crazy (but you also can’t help but begrudgingly love her) and makes you sad since it’s clear she hasn’t figured out who she is outside of the glory days of her showmanship past. As a result, not only has her oblivious single-mindedness pushed her daughters away (hence the necessity of her ‘apology tour with Big E and Denny), it’s made them all the more determined to do what she can’t – define themselves without the ‘Blackwell Belles’ label. And boy has Iris done that! I loved her unique career (refurbishing/restoring RVs and trailers) as well as watching her excel at it. But most of all? I loved her sense of humor and her big heart. Iris is exactly the kind of person I’d want to be friends with in real life, and I would be first in line to shove her toward taking a chance at ‘forever’ with Shane and his family.

Because oh sweet mercy. From swoony cowboy uncle Shane to his adorable nephews Miles and Eric, his precious niece Ruby Rose, and his crotchety-but-loving dad Butch, the Holloways completely stole my heart. Shane had the ability to make me laugh AND melt at the same time (usually when he got a little exasperated at how easily Iris was taking over his heart… if you haven’t noticed it before the Sundance scene, you will for sure then). I also confess to shedding a few tears. You see, the Holloways are grieving, and here again Stewart fabulously captures the nuances of their emotions and the different layers to how it affects their dynamics. Iris is a breath of joy-filled air for them, yes, but they provide the same respite for her heart too. Needless to say, Shane and Iris easily became one of my favorite couples in recent memory, and it’s in large part to the family he brings with him to the relationship.

Bottom Line: If you’re in need of a warm, heartfelt story with plenty of fun humor, complex family dynamics, and swoony romantic chemistry, then A Cowgirl on His Doorstep by Anna J. Stewart should be your next read! While this is part of a continuing, multi-author series (that builds off other Blackwell series by the same authors), you can still enjoy it as a standalone title if needed. But I highly recommend bingeing on the Blackwells if you’ve got time over the holidays because they’re all delightful. Iris and Shane – and his family – are delightful too, and they moved right on in to my heart as though that’s where Iris was working instead of Butch’s old RV. Stewart’s pitch-perfect & witty writing voice always sweeps me into the story and keeps me immersed in every word until the end, and A Cowgirl on His Doorstep was no exception. Looking forward to meeting the next Blackwell sister soon!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower